Accepting that the average Joe has a technology threshold, promoting energy conservation has two strikes against it ~ most people don’t realize how complicated the buildings they live in really are, and they would rather have enhanced technological gadgets that are useful to them personally. Thus, learning even a little about how electronic controls maintain their living and working environments puts them right away over the threshold, frustrating attempts to keep up with the Jones with a fancy barbecue or new MP3 player or stock tracking software. Asking them to support even more technology in their homes or offices – on top of all the other computers, fax machines, security scans already there – well, it’s just too much. The third strike is that nobody in “authority” is willing to take this responsibility for them – i.e. facility managers, building owners, the government, the utilities, or engineering organizations.
The sad part is that the most effective energy conservative “technologies” are also somewhat primitive. Different colored roof shingles, an on off control for an attic fan, shades for windows, trees in the yard ~ they’d rather have satellite TV, broadband cable internet access, electronic washing machines, and electronic recline easy chairs. Not to mention regular security upgrades from Microsoft for hackers trying to tap into their home computer, warnings on TV that their credit cards are easy target for thieves, and that even traveling in an airline is risky. All of these trends are promoted by powerful advertising campaigns, respectable companies, and government regulation. Energy conservation has none of these ~ most engineering professionals in construction won’t even acknowledge that energy conservation even exists as a science, because we’re like the IRS to them.